
“Providing our students with a solid education is the most important investment we can make,” said Shelley Free, Superintendent at Kiamichi Tech. “We’re proud of our district, and Board of Education Recognition Month affords us the opportunity to say thank you and celebrate the accomplishments of our elected board members.”
Kiamichi Tech school board members develop policies and make tough decisions on the complex educational and social issues impacting all the communities Kiamichi Tech serves. They bear responsibility for an annual budget of $65 million, over 20,000 full-time and short-term students, 306 employees and 13 locations.
“Our school board members make critical decisions that affect southeast Oklahoma and oversee millions in educational expenditures,” notes Free. “They preserve the core of our democracy—public education.”
The Kiamichi Technology Centers’ Board of Education was honored at their January meeting. The indivuduals serving the Kiamichi Tech District are Anne Brooks, Larry Culwell, Betty Ford, Colette Harper, Ron Boyer, Ernie Taylor and Brock Whittington.
Kiamichi Technology Centers (Kiamichi Tech) has played a significant role in the growth of southeast Oklahoma communities since 1968, serving nine full and four partial counties. With a mission to ‘Prepare People for Success,” Kiamichi Tech meets local workforce needs through full-time career training programs, short-term courses and customized training for businesses. The District is led by the vision and guidance of Superintendent Shelley Free and a seven-member Board of Education.
Kiamichi Tech is part of the Oklahoma CareerTech system, which offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts and operates on 60 campuses across the state. CareerTech plays a vital role in developing a world-class workforce for Oklahoma employers and prepares Oklahomans to succeed in the workplace, in education and in life.
Where Potential Meets Purpose
Photo (left to right): Doug Hall, Kelly Grego, Ernie Taylor, Betty Ford, Larry Culwell, Colette Harper, Ron Boyer, Ann Brooks, Brock Whittington, Shelley Free